


Terrors in the Night: They’re for Civilians, Too.

by Kazukoh (NihileNOPE)



Series: #TyriasLibraryEvent Halloween [2]
Category: Guild Wars 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Starvation Mentioned, assault and hostage with blade
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2020-12-31 20:14:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21151559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NihileNOPE/pseuds/Kazukoh
Summary: Written for #tyriaslibraryevent.





	Terrors in the Night: They’re for Civilians, Too.

Like many others, I, too, have nightmares. Or more accurately, night terrors. I’m sure you’re expecting to hear something about dragon minions, Forged, or Awakened. No. Not this Asura. It’s Inquest, Nightmare Courtiers, insane Sylvari, and disembodied Human or Norn skeleton hands.

Most nights I see her, holding a disembodied hand to her head, listening to it, then lunging at me. Others I see my former workplace’s ‘bar’ as I feel a blade against my neck. Or I’m surrounded by people accusing me of things I didn’t do, people that are visibly brainwashed. Other times I’m in a cell, wasting away. Yet others I’m trapped inside a Golem. Sometimes I’m even attacked at an eatery in Rata Sum, or coerced into joining them. The oldest of these memories has stuck with me for almost two years at this point.

The most vivid one I had was when the Krewe Chief for two of my Krewes sold off one and the other was acquired by Inquest...and I was taken into custody as a test subject. I couldn’t even wake up from that one for a while.

Most of the time, one of my Golems is able to detect these, and rouse me from them, and help me get back to sleep. But ever since my near-death experience-which is also a nightmare in itself, but is overshadowed by the aforementioned ones, this has become less and less effective.

This season has spotted a resurgence of those disembodied hands-the only downside of an otherwise pleasant celebration. I’m lucky I haven’t seen one yet.

I remember the 1 year anniversary of the incident with the Courtier. The night before, I crawled into bed. I feel thirsty and hungry, and wake up, only to find myself in a former Krewe’s infirmary. Detaching the IV from my hand, bandaging it, and heading to the cafeteria, I am delivered a letter. I’m told that one of my coworkers at my other job has been attacked. I immediately utilize the waypoint system to get to her, but it turns out she’s mostly recovered, and was relaxing at the employee bar. The next thing I know, I’m yanked off my barstool by the hands of a Sylvari, one of them with a blade sticking out of part of his apparel. Said blade is held at my neck, his other arm wrapped around me to keep me in place. I start screaming and crying, thrashing to be let go, my eyes shut tight.

When I open them, I’m lying in my apartment bed, drenched in sweat, with tears streaming down my face.


End file.
